


you and islands

by ohjustpeachy



Series: Tony Stark Bingo Fills [20]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Domestic Avengers, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, POV Outsider, Pining, Steve Rogers Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27525199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohjustpeachy/pseuds/ohjustpeachy
Summary: “Alright, let’s make this a little more interesting,” Nat says, with a smirk that makes Bruce nervous. “You can only have one person here tonight on the island with you. Who is it?”Next to him, Steve swallows loudly.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Tony Stark Bingo Fills [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601260
Comments: 27
Kudos: 262
Collections: Tony Stark Bingo Mark IV





	you and islands

**Author's Note:**

> Tony Stark Bingo details:  
> Title of Fill: you and islands  
> Collaborator: peachy  
> Card Number: 4017  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27525199  
> Square Filled: T5: desert island  
> Ship/Main Pairing: Steve/Tony  
> Rating: G  
> Major Tags/Warnings/Triggers: Pining, getting together, fluff, idiots in love  
> Summary: “Alright, let’s make this a little more interesting,” Nat says, with a smirk that makes Bruce nervous. “You can only have one person here tonight on the island with you. Who is it?”
> 
> Next to him, Steve swallows loudly.  
> Word Count: 1,162

It starts with a suggestion from Colonel Rhodes.

Bruce had been deep in a discussion about motorcycle restoration with Steve when they noticed everyone gathering toward the center of the room, chattering as a group. 

“Okay, let’s play a game,” Rhodey says suddenly, grinning as he downs the last of his beer and reaches for another. 

Tony laughs, apparently pleased to see his best friend and his team so at ease with each other. Sure, the steady flow of alcohol probably helped, but still. Rhodey being home on leave combined with a rare lapse in missions and crises had inspired Tony to get everyone together at the penthouse; dinner and drinks with only one rule: _no work talk_. 

That was easier for some than others, but that’s how these things go. Bruce isn’t exactly _good_ at small talk, but so far he’s faring just fine, flanked by Steve and Natasha for most of the night. Tony, for his part, never seemed too far from Rhodey’s side, while still somehow managing to make sure everyone else was having a good time. 

“Let’s play desert island,” Tony says, going along with Rhodey. 

Rhodey groans. “Like every retreat in corporate America?” 

Tony wraps an arm around his shoulders, smiling. “Have you so little faith in me, Sour Patch? It’ll be fun.” 

Amid their good-natured arguing, Steve had gone quiet, Bruce realizes. He’s picking at the label on his beer bottle and doing a terrible job pretending he isn’t gazing forlornly at Tony and Rhodey.

“They’ve been friends for so long,” Bruce says now, following Steve’s gaze. He’s quiet enough that only Steve hears him, and he feels him inhale sharply. 

“Hm? Oh, yeah, it’s nice,” Steve replies with a nod. He takes a sip of his beer, though they both know it won’t have the desired effect. 

“Tony basically grew up with him, you know?” Bruce continues. “He was so young when they met. If anything was going to happen, you know, _romantically_ , it probably would have by now.” It’s forward, probably, but that’s really the only way Bruce knows how to be. 

Steve’s cheeks flush and he continues watching Rhodey and Tony argue about their game. “Oh. I mean, yeah, probably,” he says, eyebrows knitting together in affected confusion. 

Poor guy. He’s got it bad, and what’s worse, he thinks no one notices. 

“Brucie, Cap, come over here, we’re playing Desert Island!” Tony calls, interrupting them. 

“They have such an ease about them,” Steve says, sighing as they make their way over to the rest of the group. 

“Tony has that way about him. I mean, he never once made me feel bad about... _the other guy_ , even in the early days.” 

“Yeah, he does,” Steve says, something wistful slipping into his voice. 

“You know, you could talk to him... tell him,” Bruce finds himself saying. Maybe it was the uncertainty on the otherwise confident Captain’s face, or the way his eyes always, _always_ found their way to Tony, but Bruce wants to help.

Steve’s cheeks are definitely more red than pink now, and if Tony wasn’t so wrapped up in the logistics of their game, even _he_ might notice the change. “Um. I have. Talked to him tonight, I mean,” Steve says. 

Bruce chuckles. “That’s not what I meant,” he tells him pointedly. “ _Tell_ him,” he tries again. 

Steve doesn’t have a chance to respond before Tony’s talking again. 

“Okay, we’re playing the not at all boring game _Desert Island_ , thank you Rhodey Bear for suggesting it.” He blows him a theatrical kiss and Bruce swears he can feel Steve tense beside him. 

“We’ll go over the rules since there are some Asgardians and centenarians here who’ve probably never played before,” Tony continues. This time Thor gets a wink and a smile and poor Steve just stares down at the floor. 

“It’s simple. We just pick a category and you tell us what you’d bring with you to a desert island. Your absolute, can’t live without favorite things. We can start with an easy one: books.” 

They go around painlessly, picking three books each, laughing and teasing each other at some of the choices. 

Things get a little louder when they switch to movies, laughing at Clint, who mentions _Weekend at Bernie’s_ and Tony, who picks _Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_ as one of his _._

“You guys have terrible taste,” Natasha says with a raised eyebrow. 

“I’ll have you know that Ferris Bueller is a _classic_ ,” Tony argues. “Platypus, back me up here.”

Rhodey raises his hands. “No can do, Tones.” He turns to the group. “He made us go see that movie so many times in college that I can recite it, even now.” 

“You loved it,” Tony insists. 

“Alright, let’s make this a little more interesting,” Nat says, with a smirk that makes Bruce nervous. “You can only have one person here tonight on the island with you. Who is it?”

Next to him, Steve swallows loudly.

“Steve, you’re too quiet, you go first,” Nat encourages.

Steve freezes but recovers quickly. “Your idea, you go first,” he says smoothly. 

“Fine,” she huffs. “Clint.” They high five, as if this choice is surprising to _anyone_. “Now you.”

“Tony.” Steve blurts out his answer so quickly that Bruce turns to the side to look at him. Judging by the mortified look on his face, though, Steve’s already regretting it.

It’s quiet for a beat, then Tony grins. “Alone on an island with Captain Beefcake? I can get on board with that,” he says, but Bruce notices a definite tint to his cheeks that hadn’t been there moments ago. 

“Smooth,” Bruce says, turning to Steve with a smile. “Not quite what I meant, but...”

“I can’t believe I said that. Now he’ll think it’s just part of some stupid game,” Steve mutters in a hushed whisper. 

Around them, Rhodey picks Tony, Thor says Steve, and Bruce and Clint both pick Natasha. 

“Tony?” Nat says expectantly. “You’re up.”

“Uh...” Tony stammers uncharacteristically, eyes scanning the room. Bruce wonders if Steve notices how clearly nervous he is. 

“Steve,” Tony says with a sense of finality. 

Not _Cap_ or _Capsicle_ or _Captain Handsom_ or even _Rogers_ , Bruce can’t help but notice. Just _Steve._ There’s no fanfare, no winking or kisses blown, but Tony looks pleased to have said it aloud.

Bruce isn’t sure who looks more surprised, Steve or Rhodey, actually. Though Colonel Rhodes looks more offended than anything. 

“Thirty years man, I see how it is,” Rhodey teases, but Tony just laughs, his eyes shining.

Beside him, Steve’s eyes snap forward to find Tony’s, meeting him with a tentative smile as Tony makes his way across the room. 

“I think that’s my cue,” Bruce murmurs. He turns to remind Steve of his earlier advice, but Tony’s in front of them now, and Steve’s cheeks are pink once again. Bruce smiles and turns away. From the looks of it, they’d be just fine taking it from here. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading :)  
> i'm omg-just-peachy on tumblr, come say hi!


End file.
